Spindelegger: "Delay for EU foreign policy in the UN"

Foreign Minister on the postponement of the adoption of the EU resolution in the UN General Assembly

Vienna, 15 September 2010 – "The debate in the UN General Assembly on the future status of the European Union in the UN was a bitter disappointment", said Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger, commenting on the result of yesterday’s meeting of the United Nations General Assembly. "We will stick to our guns and continue to demand that the High Representative of the EU, Catherine Ashton is granted the rights in the UN which we believe she is entitled to."

Postponing the adoption of the corresponding resolution will delay the implementation of the common foreign policy of the EU in the General Assembly, anchored in the Treaty of Lisbon. It was preceded by an intensive dialogue of the EU States with the other UN Member States. "It is in our interest to have the EU represented with a strong voice in New York. This affects issues such as speaking rights during debates, or the right of proposal in negotiations", stressed Spindelegger. "Today’s discussion in the UN General Assembly has shown that we must intensify and continue our persuasion work in order to arrive at a satisfactory solution."

Austria consistently backs a stronger role for the EU within the United Nations. "Of course, we also used our membership in the Security Council to enhance the position of the EU and of our High Representative", said Spindelegger. "For instance, the fact that last May Lady Ashton participated for the first time in a Security Council meeting, at which I was also present, goes back to an Austrian initiative."